Mar 16 2012:
I am the ChairMAN of the Board at F.I.S.H. Corporation Foundation, I don't know the word for it for a woman, but I know that I've got the balls for it!!

If a man will tell me that I'm "handsome", I'll take it as a compliment, because for me, there is nothing more beautiful, then a woman in great tailor suit, that's wear it with confident, courage, and feminity!

It's so hard for a man to do a compliment to a woman now a days, without being look at suspiciously, they have to find others ways to impress us, so maybe calling a woman "handsome" will appeal better !!

Mar 13 2012:
Dear Blaire,
There are definitely Handsome women out there. And ‘there’ is in Suriname. The Saramaccan people, a Maroon tribe living in the interior of the country, utilize a language that consists of quite some English words besides the mainly African dialects and Portuguese. Their language was formed during the slavery period in the 18th century and the word still used to describe a beautiful, strikingly good-looking woman is ‘hansum’ derived from ‘handsome’. They are themselves a very ‘hansum’ people.
Regards,
Astra

Mar 12 2012:
First thing II think of when some says handsome in regards to a women - attractive and perhaps stands out but not in a girly feminine way. Not sexy beautiful. Perhaps strong features in a positive way.

Some might take it as a little negatively.

Personally I like people look and act interesting. Looks and behaviour create a certain being, reinforcing each other to make person attractive.

Mar 11 2012:
Thank you for this very interesting question. The Oxford dictionary defines the word 'handsome', when applied to a woman, as: "striking and imposing in good looks rather than conventionally pretty." As a man, I find this definition to be rather accurate. I don't think 'beautiful' and 'handsome' describe the same thing, similar to silver and grey, or happy and cheerful. I would call a woman handsome if she had an earthy quality; a very attractive but an uncommon beauty. She would have a lot of presence, not just 'on display' - not just good to look at. She would probably have reddish hair and be artistic, but not necessarily. Hope that helps.

Mar 13 2012:
Yep handsome doesnt cut it any more. Women want to be beautiful , men handsome. I'd rather think that if you called a woman that you fancied handsome your chances would be dramatically reduced. And if you thought she was handsome you probably wouldnt fancy her.
Of course to think yourself handsome is perfectly OK.

Mar 12 2012:
My father always used to refer to Hattie Jacques as a handsome woman...a woman who is not necessarily nice to look at but who commands attention and is sexually appealing because of her character and/or body language. The woman in question was a British actress of the 1960s and 70s, very large, but who moved with grace and confidence. In real life, it is said, that if a man caught her eye, she would have him.